Yue Fei

Yue Fei (24 March 1103-27 January 1142) was a general of the Song dynasty who was a veteran of the wars between the Song and the Great Jin. He helped the Song to survive many Jin attacks, and his several invasions of northern China helped to reconquer much lands. However, he was executed on trumped-up charges by corrupt officials before he could retake Kaifeng from the Jin.

Biography
Yue Fei was the son of a landowner who lost his lands in a flood while using them to help others, and in 1122 Yue Fei joined the army of the Song dynasty. He was adopted by the squire Wang Ming's family and was allowed to stay at his court with his mother, and he was instructed in military arts by Zhou Tong. He was taught literature on odd days and military lessons on even days, and he defeated all others in an imperial military examination, refusing a bribe from Prince Cai Gui of Liang to let him win. Yue Fei then killed Cai Gui when he dueled him, and he joined the Song in their wars with the Great Jin Jurchens of the north.

Yue helped in the holding of Kaifeng until 1127, when it fell to the Jin army; he proceeded to recapture several lost lands from the Jin and lead offensives north with a growing army. He was committed to recapturing northern China, and he won several victories against the barbarians. Yue Fei's greatest battle was the Battle of Yancheng in 1140, when he won a battle against a larger Jin army during a general counterattack against the Jin. Defeating one enemy after another, he prepared to recapture Kaifeng, but corrupt officials told Emperor Gaozong of Song to recall him from the front, fearing that a defeat at Kaifeng would allow the Jin to usurp the throne of China. Yue Fei returned home, where Qin Hui had him charged with several false charges and executed by hanging.